The airline industry is finally showing signs of recovery after two of the most brutal years in the history of aviation, according to Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (Iata).Speaking at a recent event in Asia, Walsh said that after international travel had come to a near standstill after the outbreak of Covid-19, the situation was improving, albeit not fast enough.International travel in 2021 stood at only 25% of the figures in 2019. But in the first quarter of this year, it has recovered to 48%. And in some parts of the world, including Europe, North America, and Latin America, the recovery has reached around 60%.“It's been a very difficult two years and we are beginning to see some positive signs,” said Walsh. “But all segments of the industry now need to work together to ensure that we can capitalise on this strong underlying demand. Airports need to be ready for the increase in numbers. And we would ask governments to support airlines and airports as we try to recover our network.”The sector, however, continued to face serious challenges such as the war in Ukraine, high oil prices and increased inf lation. “Despite these obvious headwinds, I remain optimistic about the recovery this year and into 2023,” said Walsh.
